7.28.2008
The Nearing's "Good Life"
I have just finished The Good Life and Continuing The Good Life by Scott and Helen Nearing. There were many practical things about this book that I found so helpful and insightful (year-round gardening, stone building, garden records). The main drawback for me, as with so many other books, was that is written from a New England perspective, where the climate and terrain are so different. But from a gardening standpoint, so much of what they have to say, and the experiences they share transcend growing zones. The way that the view the garden dovetails nicely into how Gene Logsdon views the garden, though I''m not sure the two parties have formally crossed paths.
The main difference with the Nearings and most "modern homesteaders" and agrarians is that, because of their beliefs, they did not keep animals of any sort on their homestead. Most of us would see that as a disadvantage to being self-sustaining, but in reality, the lack of animals probably freed them up to focus on their garden and on other profitable pursuits around the homestead.
The also never refer to their place as a farm, which makes sense - in reality it is only land with buildings and gardens. Instead the use the term "homesteading" quite frequently.
All in all, I think the Nearing's book is a must read for the suburban/urban dweller yearning for a place to call his/her own. I can't speak for someone who already has country experience, but the Nearing's seemed to always maintain the idea that they were still city dwellers working towards a better existence, and that may turn out to be what we will always be as well.
PS - I found this blog on a search for Nearing's and Gene Logsdon: http://fredandcharlie.com/theplan/ I don't know anything about them, but I liked their about section and they have nice pictures.
The main difference with the Nearings and most "modern homesteaders" and agrarians is that, because of their beliefs, they did not keep animals of any sort on their homestead. Most of us would see that as a disadvantage to being self-sustaining, but in reality, the lack of animals probably freed them up to focus on their garden and on other profitable pursuits around the homestead.
The also never refer to their place as a farm, which makes sense - in reality it is only land with buildings and gardens. Instead the use the term "homesteading" quite frequently.
All in all, I think the Nearing's book is a must read for the suburban/urban dweller yearning for a place to call his/her own. I can't speak for someone who already has country experience, but the Nearing's seemed to always maintain the idea that they were still city dwellers working towards a better existence, and that may turn out to be what we will always be as well.
PS - I found this blog on a search for Nearing's and Gene Logsdon: http://fredandcharlie.com/theplan/ I don't know anything about them, but I liked their about section and they have nice pictures.
7.18.2008
Stone Building / Slipform
So I don't forget.
http://www.charlesmcraven.com/frames5.html
http://logcabinhomestead.blogspot.com/2007/01/slip-form-project.html
http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com/stonebuilding.html
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1996-12-01/Learn-to-Build-using-Slipform.aspx
http://www.amazon.com/Build-Stone-House-Down-Earth/dp/0882666401
http://www.charlesmcraven.com/frames5.html
http://logcabinhomestead.blogspot.com/2007/01/slip-form-project.html
http://www.dirtcheapbuilder.com/stonebuilding.html
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1996-12-01/Learn-to-Build-using-Slipform.aspx
http://www.amazon.com/Build-Stone-House-Down-Earth/dp/0882666401
Some reading
I finished re-reading Gene Logsdon's The Contrary Farmer, which was great inspiration in so many ways. One of the things that was interesting was noting how some of Gene's ideas have changed in the twenty years since his writing of Homesteading. One issue is the size of the ideal homestead. In his first book he sort of makes the case for a small homestead, somewhere in the neighborhood of less than 10 acres. In the Contrary Farmer he says that you should get as much land as possible, because land isn't getting any cheaper. I think Gene is farming on 32 acres now.
We picked up Storey's Basic Country Skills with all kinds of information in it. They make the case for a small homestead, 5 or acres or less. I think I am inclined towards about 15 acres at this point.
I mostly read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. In truth I skimmed the last 60 pages or so because I lost interest. What I liked most about the book was that the author
lived in the region where we would like to relocate. When I read most of the other homesteading type books they are written by authors living in the northeast or midwest. But this book had specific gardening information for southwest Virginia, which was great. The book has alot of great points about gardening, cooking and food in general.
We also finally bought The Good Life by Scott and Helen Nearing. I started reading it and am enjoying it so far. I love stone buildings and hope to at least build a small building that way with my boys some day.
I finished re-reading Gene Logsdon's The Contrary Farmer, which was great inspiration in so many ways. One of the things that was interesting was noting how some of Gene's ideas have changed in the twenty years since his writing of Homesteading. One issue is the size of the ideal homestead. In his first book he sort of makes the case for a small homestead, somewhere in the neighborhood of less than 10 acres. In the Contrary Farmer he says that you should get as much land as possible, because land isn't getting any cheaper. I think Gene is farming on 32 acres now.
We picked up Storey's Basic Country Skills with all kinds of information in it. They make the case for a small homestead, 5 or acres or less. I think I am inclined towards about 15 acres at this point.
I mostly read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. In truth I skimmed the last 60 pages or so because I lost interest. What I liked most about the book was that the author
lived in the region where we would like to relocate. When I read most of the other homesteading type books they are written by authors living in the northeast or midwest. But this book had specific gardening information for southwest Virginia, which was great. The book has alot of great points about gardening, cooking and food in general.We also finally bought The Good Life by Scott and Helen Nearing. I started reading it and am enjoying it so far. I love stone buildings and hope to at least build a small building that way with my boys some day.
7.08.2008
Gene Logson
As I may have noted before, Gene Logsdon is one my favorite agrarian authors. I just found out that he has some occasional writings at OrganicToBe.org. His personal page is here.
7.07.2008
Over the weekend I read Five Acres and Independence by MG Kains and Homesteading, by Gene Logsdon. I also started reading The Contrary Farmer again, also by Gene Logsdon. Mr. Logsdon is one my favorite writers for the way he can present an idea so poetically and bluntly at the same time.
I think when our chance to move to the farm 2 1/2 half years ago fell through, I decided to make an ideological shift away from practical agrarianism as a means to deal with my disappointment. Re-reading some these authors and their approach to living is like returning home, and I am excited once again.
One of the things I love about The Contrary Farmer is Logsdon's insistence on the importance of the garden and how it relates to farming, and indeed life, as a whole. While we have had a small garden at our suburban home this year, I have not had the same intensity and affection as I have had with previous gardens. Reading his book made me realize that I need to be devoted to the success of my garden, if I ever hope to be successful on any kind of homestead. I need to be seeking to not just produce, but also to improve. There also many obvious parallels between how I approach a garden and how I approach life, and I think the last two years of my life is brought into focus more clearly if I reflect upon that.
I think when our chance to move to the farm 2 1/2 half years ago fell through, I decided to make an ideological shift away from practical agrarianism as a means to deal with my disappointment. Re-reading some these authors and their approach to living is like returning home, and I am excited once again.
One of the things I love about The Contrary Farmer is Logsdon's insistence on the importance of the garden and how it relates to farming, and indeed life, as a whole. While we have had a small garden at our suburban home this year, I have not had the same intensity and affection as I have had with previous gardens. Reading his book made me realize that I need to be devoted to the success of my garden, if I ever hope to be successful on any kind of homestead. I need to be seeking to not just produce, but also to improve. There also many obvious parallels between how I approach a garden and how I approach life, and I think the last two years of my life is brought into focus more clearly if I reflect upon that.
Labels: agrarian, garden, Logsdon
7.03.2008
Agrarian/farming blogs
I am starting to look at some blogs again for the first time in a long while and can't remember who all I used to read. Here are a few I looked at today, of which I recognized a couple:
Dry Creek Chronicles - of course
Tabletop Homestead
Sugar Mountain Farm
Homesteader Life
Trying to regain some of the head knowledge I had accumulated and I think it will come back slowly. Picked up 5 Acres and Independence last night to get me started.
Dry Creek Chronicles - of course
Tabletop Homestead
Sugar Mountain Farm
Homesteader Life
Trying to regain some of the head knowledge I had accumulated and I think it will come back slowly. Picked up 5 Acres and Independence last night to get me started.
